Kaleidoscope
by Helike
Summary: Itachi, Naruto, Jiraiya, Neji - the pictures change like in a kaleidoscope. Four stories put together into one.


Why _Kaleidoscope_? Because the "pictures" change like what you can see in a kaleidoscope.

Four short stories about four different Naruto characters - Itachi, Naruto, Jiraiya and Neji. Some written for friends; some written, because I felt like it.

**Naruto (c) M. Kishimoto**

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**Kaleidoscope**

_1. (Itachi)_

He finds himself standing in that empty place washed by rain, and gazing at gray clouds moving lazily above him. It doesn't matter that rain is wetting his black cloak and that Kisame is watching him - he stands there with his head raised up and the face turned to the clouded sky. Rain drops are flowing down his face, but he doesn't wipe them away.

For a while he lets himself to get lost in this feeling, remembering how it was all these years ago when he was a completely different person, still knew how to cry and hated rain. Too many things have changed since then, but it's too late for him to regret them.

Drops of rain are like tears, flowing down his cheeks and chin, and for a short while he wishes that just like real tears they could bring him some relief and let him forget.

_2. (Naruto)_

Naruto has always known what Sasuke wants: to defeat his older brother and to get his revenge. Only that recently he's started to doubt it and now he'd rather say that it is what Sasuke _thinks_ he wants, but not what he's really wanted.

When Sasuke decided to leave Konoha, Naruto thought that he would manage to bring him back if he became stronger. Maybe not enormously strong, but strong enough to defeat Sasuke and take him back to Konoha, no matter if the boy wanted it or not. Quickly he realized it would never work – once given a chance that bastard would leave Konoha again, trying to find and kill his older brother.

Then he decided to get even stronger; strong enough to defeat Itachi and there was even a short period of time when he actually thought about going after the man in order to challenge him and fight him – everything to bring Sasuke back... Only that even Naruto wasn't so blind not to see that it would have never worked. Sasuke would have never forgiven him fighting, and maybe even killing, his brother, because it was Sasuke only that had the right to get the revenge.

But now... now the things have changed. Naruto still thinks about getting stronger, he really does, but at the same time he can't help pondering on what Itachi has told him.

In some way he has already made his decision. Even if given a power that might be used one day or might be not... Even if told things, surprising things, and not quite understandable at the same time... Even if forced to accept the truth he has always disliked and rejected... Even if forced to make painful decisions... there will be things that will never change.

Naruto will be stronger, not for Sasuke or Konoha, but more for himself, so that in the end he could keep the promise he made long time ago, and follow the path he has chosen and save the both precious "things" he has when the time comes. That's what being strong means to him.

_3. (Jiraiya)_

Jiraiya wouldn't call himself a genius, not really, at least not in the area that one could think. Obviously, there were a few things about himself that he was enormously proud about. He did take pride in his knowledge on a certain subject - the knowledge gained over long years of his researches and experiences. Yet, despite this knowledge, there still were moments when he simply failed at understanding some things.

He looked at white substance in his hand trying to understand what special was about it and why all women were so eager to put it on their faces, believing that it made them more beautiful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see any connection between something which looked like a little lump of mud in his opinion and creating the beauty itself.

_4. (Neji)_

_Girls are strange..._

That was the first thought that came to Neji's mind when he saw Tenten, that silent and always thinking only about training and weapons girl, standing in front of some poster and looking, no... staring at it.

He shook his head. What was so special about that thing? Neji could not understand. He tried to be impartial, he really did, but he only saw an image of some man, in a fighting pose, with a katana in his hand. His pale skin, long, black hair tied in a ponytail and that glare made Neji think that the man could be some Uchiha's close relative. But he was not, obviously, as almost all the Uchiha were dead now, and the man's clothing style – a long, black coat with a silver decoration on it – was not something that any Uchiha would have ever worn.

'What is so interesting about it?' he finally asked her.

'Well... Maybe I just like men with dark, long hair?' Tenten replied, glancing at him.

And there was something so strange about her - her look and her smile - when she looked at him that it took him a while to identify the feeling it all gave him. It was embarrassment.

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**A/N: Themes:**

1. Itachi - Tears. Funny how it fits the mood of ch. 403. BTW... Happy birthday, Itachi :heart:

2. Naruto - Stronger. yeah... maybe with some hints to the chapter 403. Naruto's two precious "things" are Konoha and Sasuke :P

3. Jiraiya - Mud. LOL Beauty requires sacrifices, but not everyone can understand it, apparently.

4. Neji - Embarrassment. Believe it or not - the man on the poster is... Yuu Kanda from D.Gray-Man :P

If you like it, I could consider the idea of the continuation.


End file.
